The total prevalent cases of female infertility in the seven major markets (*7MM) are projected to decrease from 16,732,165 cases in 2023 to 16,053,363 cases in 2033, registering a negative annual growth rate (AGR) of 0.41 per cent, forecasts GlobalData.
GlobalData’s latest report, “Female Infertility – Epidemiology Analysis and Forecast to 2033,” reveals that in 2033, the US is forecast to experience the greatest number of total prevalent cases of female infertility among the 7MM, totaling 5,492,669 cases, while Spain is projected to have the lowest count at 1,009,964 cases.
Bharti Prabhakar, MPH, Associate Project Manager, Pharma at GlobalData, comments, “A considerable proportion of women of reproductive age experience infertility. The major causative factors of infertility and impaired fecundity are fallopian tube dysfunction, disorders of menstruation, sexual disorders, increasing age, and in a very small percentage of patients, ovarian failure. Multiple factors have been identified as possible contributors to fertility problems in women, including socio-demographic, behavioural, physical, and mental health conditions. Although infertility is more prevalent in recent times, the use of advanced assisted reproductive technologies in modern medicine greatly increases the chances of solving infertility problems.”
A universal picture of the epidemiology of female infertility is not available due to the difficulty in defining the condition. In defining infertility, the medical literature makes a distinction between a clinical/epidemiological versus a demographic approach. There is a lack of agreement on outcomes representing reproductive success (such as pregnancy, ongoing pregnancy, or live birth), which may significantly influence the estimation of the prevalence of female infertility.
“In the literature, infertility is used synonymously with sterility, infecundity, childlessness, and subfertility. While these terms are used interchangeably and inconsistently, an explicit detailing of each component of the definition is needed to clarify what is being measured. It is widely recognised that estimates of infertility will vary, sometimes significantly, based on the definitions and study methodology used, particularly with respect to defining the ‘‘at-risk’’ population,” adds Prabhakar.
There is a large body of literature on the risk factors for female infertility, and several published reviews of risk factors for infertility. There may be a number of external factors, lifestyle choices, and environmental causes that contribute to infertility. Age is the single biggest factor affecting a woman’s chance to conceive and have a healthy baby. The major risk factors for infertility include delaying childbirth, a previous history of a sexually transmitted infection (STI), and a history of pelvic inflammatory disease (PID).
Associations between high or low body mass index (BMI) and infertility identify weight-related problems as a significant risk factor for infertility. Smoking has also been linked to the impairment of fertility, with studies indicating an increase in delay to conception, primary and secondary infertility, miscarriages, and ectopic pregnancies in smokers compared with non-smokers.
Prabhakar concludes, “Several components may affect the estimation of the prevalence of female infertility, including exposure time, exposure type (couple status, contraceptive use, and desire for a child), and outcome. Exposure time is the minimum amount of time needed to assess the fertility status of a union. There is strong evidence for misclassification when using a shorter exposure period.
*7MM: The US, 5EU (France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the UK), and Japan.